Suggestions for Replacement Wheel Bearings

prariepilot · Apr 4, 2018

I'm looking for a replacement set of wheel bearings for the front wheel on my 2013 TriGlide. I've checked with the dealer for OEM and they are $27 apiece. I've looked at JP Cycles, Arlen Ness, All Balls Racing and Drag Specialties. They run from the cheap to even more than MOCO. Cheap may not be the best; nor may the most expensive be the best.

I want a safe, reliable bearing set at a reasonable price with a reasonable warranty.

No, they haven't failed. I've pulled the bearings in my spare front wheel to have all three spares powdercoated.

Suggestions? TIA.

Jack Klarich · Apr 4, 2018

All Balls and Drag use the same vendor

Find a parts store that can cross a HD part number to SKF

Rooster57 · Apr 4, 2018

Da-eeeee-yum, PrairiePilot........that shot went way over my head!:Shrug:

Cheers!

Mykneesbehurtin · Apr 4, 2018

Any bearing distributor should be able to cross reference the bearings to a quality bearing,as Jack said SKF or Timken. When it comes to bearings i dont skimp. when i replaced the bearings and races for my pull behind trailer for the trike i went with Timken $ 80.00 for 4 bearings and races seemed like a lot but as my daddy always said cheap aint good and good aint cheap.

vito · Apr 5, 2018

prariepilot said:
I'm looking for a replacement set of wheel bearings for the front wheel on my 2013 TriGlide. I've checked with the dealer for OEM and they are $27 apiece. I've looked at JP Cycles, Arlen Ness, All Balls Racing and Drag Specialties. They run from the cheap to even more than MOCO. Cheap may not be the best; nor may the most expensive be the best.

I want a safe, reliable bearing set at a reasonable price with a reasonable warranty.

No, they haven't failed. I've pulled the bearings in my spare front wheel to have all three spares powdercoated.

Suggestions? TIA.

As others have said go with a known good brand from a jobber. I like Timkin but ymmv.

Ask tour local auto parts dealer where they get their bearings and check there. I used to pay under $10 a bearing but that was a while back.

1dn5up · Apr 5, 2018

Replaced my front tire and repacked the bearings. I failed to look for a stamped number on them. If any one does find a USA replacement, please post the name brand and number to help us fellow brothers n sisters. Thanks.

prariepilot · Apr 12, 2018

SKF Bearing Cross-Match

1dn5up said:
Replaced my front tire and repacked the bearings. I failed to look for a stamped number on them. If any one does find a USA replacement, please post the name brand and number to help us fellow brothers n sisters. Thanks.

The cross-matched bearing for replacing the MOCO #9276 with an SKF Bearing is [FONT=&quot]6205-2Rs. These bearings are specifically for NON-ABS application only. I don't know of any TG's that have ABS![/FONT]

FuzzyWuzHe · Apr 12, 2018

I am a firm believer in keeping it Harley ... sort of ... Just seems to me $27 for a bearing for a 30+k trike is not that bad. After 4-5 years, your bearings are still good, why not replace the ones you pulled with what came out. I could see it if they failed, but, since they didn't, why change? You go cheap, you get cheap. Just MHO.

prariepilot · Apr 12, 2018

Why buy Chinese?

FuzzyWuzHe said:
I am a firm believer in keeping it Harley ... sort of ... Just seems to me $27 for a bearing for a 30+k trike is not that bad. After 4-5 years, your bearings are still good, why not replace the ones you pulled with what came out. I could see it if they failed, but, since they didn't, why change? You go cheap, you get cheap. Just MHO.

SKF and Timken have plants all over the world; those plants may be making the bearings H-D is using in all their applications. I've used SKF bearings in other applications. I've been to the SKF manufacturing facility in Gothenburg, Sweden. I've observed their manufacturing processes.Ferrari, Rolls Royce, NASCAR, F1 and MotoGP (motorcycle racing) use SKF bearings. If they make a better bearing and it costs less, why not use it? Betcha H-D is not paying more than three dollars each for their bearings. Going cheap just means you don't have to pay the H-D 800% mark-up.

FuzzyWuzHe · Apr 12, 2018

prariepilot said:
SKF and Timken have plants all over the world; those plants may be making the bearings H-D is using in all their applications. I've used SKF bearings in other applications. I've been to the SKF manufacturing facility in Gothenburg, Sweden. I've observed their manufacturing processes.Ferrari, Rolls Royce, NASCAR, F1 and MotoGP (motorcycle racing) use SKF bearings. If they make a better bearing and it costs less, why not use it? Betcha H-D is not paying more than three dollars each for their bearings. Going cheap just means you don't have to pay the H-D 800% mark-up.

Sounds to me that you made your mind up before the thread was started ... as your entitled too.

Jack Klarich · Apr 12, 2018

I have a friend in Canada that gets his bearings from a John Deere dealer

Seems they fit agriculture equipment besides Harley's

prariepilot · Apr 12, 2018

NOT!

FuzzyWuzHe said:
Sounds to me that you made your mind up before the thread was started ... as your entitled too.

Timken and SKF are not the only bearings out there. I had not made my mind up before asking, or I wouldn't have asked. There is a wealth of knowledge on this forum and it is a shame to ignore it.

I just do not prefer to deal with the "mother ship" and their grossly inflated prices. I'll buy a $30 bearing if it proves to be the best choice. Just NOT from H-D.

lightnin · Apr 15, 2018

prariepilot said:
I'm looking for a replacement set of wheel bearings for the front wheel on my 2013 TriGlide. I've checked with the dealer for OEM and they are $27 apiece. I've looked at JP Cycles, Arlen Ness, All Balls Racing and Drag Specialties. They run from the cheap to even more than MOCO. Cheap may not be the best; nor may the most expensive be the best.

I want a safe, reliable bearing set at a reasonable price with a reasonable warranty.

No, they haven't failed. I've pulled the bearings in my spare front wheel to have all three spares powdercoated.

Suggestions? TIA.

Go on line to Just Balls I've used them on previous bikes and they are priced right

Jack Klarich · Apr 15, 2018

lightnin said:
Go on line to Just Balls I've used them on previous bikes and they are priced right

Did ya mean All Balls?

If so Drag Specialties sells the same bearing

Sloufoot · Apr 21, 2018

The SKF brgs and Fagg NSK or whatever just might be the supplier for the MOCO brgs. They don't make their own brgs and most likely only source the bearings that fit their specs from the lowest bidder.

SKF of a given number and suffix letters or numbers are all the same no matter where you purchase. 2rs is 2 rubber seals.

I don't know if the 6205-2rs is the correct bearing or not, but $27 bucks each is crazy ! I think that is for 2 brgs.

A good buy on the 6205-2rs SKF bearings is like here on EBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6205-2RS-SKF-Brand-rubber-seals-bearing-6205-rs-ball-bearings-6205-rs-/141452005937

Here is a listing on Drag Specialties kit (2 brgs) for the bike not by brg #.

http://www.dragspecialties.com/products/?productId=414351&partNumber=02150225

Sloufoot · Apr 22, 2018

HD Wheel bearing

By the way HD # for the TriGlide is 9276B in the fish catalog at Ronnies HD. and priced at $18.99. + shipping.

DK Custom Products · Apr 22, 2018

I needed to get rear axle bearings for my 2014 Tri-Glide last week. Could have gotten them from All Balls, but knew they were made in China.

So I ordered them from National Bearings, an American company I've gotten bearings from as long as 40+ years ago....